Carnivorous Plant Care
Carnivorous plants are a specialized group, and even the most knowledgeable grower may not be aware of their specific requirements. (In fact, if you can find a carnivore in a general nursery, there's a strong chance the care info will either be mysteriously missing, or highly inaccurate!) Luckily, it's not difficult to grow your own gluttonous garden with the proper guidance. We'll start you with the basics, then point you to more resources to grow spectacular sundews and picturesque pitchers.
In general, carnivorous plants require the following:
- Distilled, rainwater, or water low in TDS (total dissolved solids). Tap water quality can vary significantly, and should be tested prior to using for carnivorous plants. TDS meters are inexpensive to purchase online, and many cities publish free water quality reports for residents. TDS should measure <50ppm for best results. When in doubt, use distilled or rainwater. Watering needs vary, but most carnivores will die if allowed to completely dry out. It's important to know if the plant you are growing prefers to be in a tray of water all the time, or prefers moist media without standing water.
- Media that is free of nutrients, fertilizers, and other additives. Common media components when growing carnivores include peat moss, sphagnum moss, perlite, and sand. Growers may also use lava rock/pumice, vermiculite, orchid bark, akadama, leca, and more depending on the species.
- Sufficient light! Light is important, but needs can vary from genus to genus (and even within species). If you are growing indoor species, grow lights are often necessary.
- Dormancy consideration. Some types of carnivorous plants require a dormancy period. (Raise your hand if you killed your first Venus Fly Trap because you had no idea they needed a winter nap!) This seems challenging, but is rarely any more difficult than caring for the plant the rest of the year.
Temperate plants such as Sarracenia, Darlingtonia, Dionaea, and some Drosera have true dormancy periods (some will die back completely, and some will simply slow growth). This usually takes place between October and March.
Tropical plants such as Nepenthes and Heliamphora do not require dormancy. On the contrary - these types of pitcher plants prefer stability in their conditions and prefer to maintain their usual routine regardless of season.
Many Pinguicula species undergo a 'succulent' phase during which their leaves slow growth and/or grow small, non-carnivorous leaves in tight rosettes. Water should be reduced during this time, and increased when the plant begins to produces carnivorous leaves.
This page is under construction as we work on adding more specific info - pardon our dust!
For more information, we highly recommend:
The International Carnivorous Plant Society website - get expert advice for growers of all experience levels. The ICPS is an organization of horticulturists, conservationists, scientists, and educators all interested in sharing knowledge and news of carnivorous plants. The Society is a registered US IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and is the International Registration Authority (IRA) for carnivorous plant cultivars.
The Carnivorous Plant FAQ v.12 by Barry Rice is a comprehensive guide with a humorous flair. If you've ever had questions about carnivorous plants, you'll find the answers here.